


Gravitated Away

by RockSunner



Category: Gravity Falls, Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi | Spirited Away
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Enchantment, Gen, Mystery, Transformation, lost sibling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-12
Updated: 2017-08-20
Packaged: 2018-05-26 08:39:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6231871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RockSunner/pseuds/RockSunner
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is a crossover AU between "Gravity Falls" and "Spirited Away," which are owned by Alex Hirsch and Hayao Miyazaki, respectively. Can a young girl who finds herself in a magical place rescue herself and her family?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Wrong Turn

Mabel was being driven by her parents in the family station wagon. She was playing in the back seat with two socks with glued-on googly eyes.

"What did one sock puppet say to the other sock puppet?" Mabel made one hand ask the other in a squeaky voice.

"I don't know, what?" she had the other say in a deeper voice.

"I think you could use a hand!" She giggled loudly at the joke.

"Mabel, please be quiet back there," said her mother. "Your father is trying to concentrate. I think we made a wrong turn on our way to your summer camp."

"No we didn't," said her father. "I'm sure we'll find it soon."

"I wish I didn't have to go to camp," said Mabel. "I'm going to miss Mr. Whiskers, and my friends Amy and Lisa."

"The fresh air in Oregon will be good for you," said her father. "It's not smoggy here like in Piedmont."

"You'll make new friends at camp," said her mother. "You're good with people."

"Mom, I have a question," said Mabel.

"Yes?" said her mother.

"Did I ever have a sister or brother?" asked Mabel. "Sometimes it feels like I did."

Mrs. Pines gave a little gasp.

"Mabel Hero Pines," said her father. "Why did you ask that? You're going to make your mother cry."

"It's all right, Huck," said her mother. "She didn't know. Mabel, you had a twin brother. Both of you fell into a river when you were very small. We were able to get you out safely, but your brother was never found."

"Oh..." said Mabel. "I'm sorry."

They passed through a tunnel into a valley. On the left was a sign, "Welcome to Gravity Falls."

"Gravity Falls?" said her father. "I didn't think we were close to there. I used to have an Uncle Stanford who lived here, but he disappeared about thirty years ago."

"Let's find somewhere to ask directions," said her mother.

"There's a place," said Mabel. "Greasy's Diner. We have food."

"That doesn't sound very appetizing," said Mr. Pines. "But I'm feeling really hungry."

"Me too," said Mrs. Pines.

"There's something super weird about this place," said Mabel. "I'm getting these vibes. Let's go back."

"Don't be silly," said Mr. Pines, something Mabel heard every day.

They parked the car and entered the diner. It seemed deserted.

"Is anybody here?" asked Mr. Pines.

"There's a buffet set up on the counter," said Mrs. Pines. "I'm going to have some food. It smells delicious."

"Maybe you shouldn't..." said Mabel.

"Don't worry," said Mr. Pines. "We'll pay for it. I have cash if they don't take credit cards."

Her parents grabbed plates and eagerly loaded them up with fried chicken, sausages, and corn on the cob.

"Have some too, honey," Mabel's mother said to her.

"I'm not hungry," said Mabel. "All right if I play outside? There's some grass calling me to roll in it."

"Don't go far," grunted her father with his mouth full.

Mabel played by herself, rolling in the grass as shadows began to fall.

A young brown-haired boy about her age ran up to her. He had a serious, worried expression.

"What are you doing? You can't be here when it gets dark," the boy said. "Get out of Gravity Falls!"

"What?" asked Mabel. "Why?"

Strange shapes began to emerge from the forest and headed down the road past them. Some were tiny, and some were huge. None looked completely human.

"You shouldn't be here," said the boy. "I'll distract them while you run for it."

"I have to get my parents," said Mabel.

She went back inside the diner. Her parents had knocked down more food and they were eating it right off the floor.

"What are you doing? Something way, way weird is going on and we have to get out!" Mabel called to them.

There was no answer but grunts. Before Mabel's eyes, both of them turned into pigs.

"This is just a bad dream! Just a bad dream! Wake up, Mabel!"

Mabel turned and ran. She raced up the road toward the tunnel, but it had filled in. As she turned to look for another way out, she raised a hand and discovered she could look right through it.

"Ooh, nightmare! Go away, nightmare!" Mabel said.

When she turned, the boy was there again. He had a small piece of chocolate in his hand.

"Eat this," he told her.

Mabel shook her head. "Uh-uh."

"If you don't eat it, you'll disappear," the boy said.

Mabel decided she had to trust him. She took the chocolate and ate it.

"Now you're solid again. Try to touch me," said the boy.

Mabel gave his arm an uneasy poke.

"That worked," said the boy. "Now come with me."

"What about my parents? They turned into pigs. I mean, I've always wanted a pet pig, but not for my parents to be pigs," Mabel said, babbling.

"You can see them again, but not yet" said the boy. "Right now, we have to sneak you into the Mystery Spa."

"The Mystery Spa? What's that?"

"It's a bathhouse and tourist trap, run by Stanbaba. I work there. You'll need to get a job there too, to be safe in this place."

"This is so weird, but for some reason I trust you like a brother," said Mabel. "Let's go."


	2. A Job at the Mystery Spa

Mabel and the boy headed towards the Mystery Spa, a large triangular-shaped building with lanterns hanging from it.

"What about my Dad and Mom?" asked Mabel. "They didn't really turn into pigs, did they?"

"You can't see them now, but you will later," said the boy.

A strange-looking balloon floated overhead. It had the face of an old man with an evil grin, and a banner above it said, "I Eat Kids."

"Quiet!" said the boy. "It's looking for you. Let's run!"

Mabel made an effort, then said, "I can't stand! What can I do? My legs don't work."

The boy said, "Calm down. Take a deep breath."

He raised a hand and intoned a spell. "In the name of the wind and the water within thee... Unbind her!"

Mabel felt a tingling in her legs.

"Get up!" said the boy.

Mabel found she was able to move again. They got closer to the Shack, where strange customers were streaming in.

"Hold your breath while we cross the parking lot," said the boy. "Even a tiny breath will break the spell, and the attendants will see you."

"I'm scared," said Mabel.

"Be calm!" he told her. "Let's go. A deep breath... And hold..."

They walked across the parking lot, keeping close together.

"Welcome back, Haku!" called one attendant, a gnome with a peaked red cap.

"We missed you!" said another gnome.

"I'm back from my task," said Haku, and under his breath he told Mabel, "Hang on, we're almost..."

Suddenly a big yellow-eyed frog jumped in front of them. "Hey, Haku!"

"Wha...?" said Mabel, startled into taking a breath.

"A human?" said one of the gnomes, suddenly able to see her.

"Run!" said Haku.

Mabel ran inside to look for somewhere to hide. She ran through a gift shop, through a door marked "Employees only," and ducked behind a yellow armchair with a huge dinosaur skull beside it, just as a horde of gnomes came charging through the room, shouting to each other about catching the human intruder.

Haku followed them, and spotted Mabel. He ducked down beside her.

I'm sorry I took a breath," said Mabel.

"No, you did very well," said Haku. "Listen and I'll tell you what to do. I you stay here, they'll find you. I'll distract them,"

"No, don't go!" said Mabel. "Stay with me!"

"You have no choice, if you want to survive here, and save your parents, too."

"So they did turn into pigs... I wasn't dreaming..."

"Listen. When things quiet down, open the secret door behind the vending machine in the gift shop. Here, I've written the code for you on a scrap of paper. Take the stairs down to the elevator. Take it down to the boiler room, where they stoke the fires for the baths. Old Man Kamajii is there, so look for him."

"Kamajii?"

"Ask him for work. Even if he refuses, insist! If you don't work, Stanbaba will turn you into an animal. He is the owner of the Mystery Spa bathhouse."

"Stanbaba?"

"You'll see. He's the sorceror who rules our world. Kamajii will try to trick you into leaving, but keep on asking him for work. It'll be hard work, but it will give you a chance. Then even Stanbaba can't harm you."

"Okay," said Mabel, feeling more brave now that she had a plan.

Voices in the distance called for Haku.

"I have to go," said Haku. "Remember, Mabel, I'm your friend."

"How do you know my name?" asked Mabel. "I never told you."

"I've known you since you were small," said Haku. "Though I can't remember how. My name used to be something else..."

"Haku!" a gnome called.

"Here I am!" said Haku, standing up and moving away from the hiding place.

"Haku, Stanbaba wants you," said the gnome.

"I know, it's about my task," said Haku, leaving with the gnome.

* * *

Mabel waited until it was quiet, then sneaked back to the vending machine she had noticed on her way in. She entered the button code that Haku had given her, and slipped through the secret door. She stumbled on the stairs and had to run all the way to the bottom to catch her balance.

"Wooo, that was almost fun!" said Mabel.

She entered the elevator and went down to the lowest floor. The room was hot, and she saw a strange old man with a white beard who was working with six extendable mechanical arms in front of a huge water boiler. He seemed to be mixing herbs.

"Um... Excuse me. are you Old Man Kamajii?" asked Mabel. "Um, Haku sent me here. Please let me work here!"

"Aw, donkey spittle, four bath orders all at once..." muttered Kamajii. He called to the fuzzy creatures, "Get to work, you little runts!"

"Umm," said Mabel again, this time getting his attention.

"I'm Old Man Kamajii, local kook and slave to the boilers that heat the baths. Step on it, boys!"

"Please let me work here!"

"Hee hee! I've got all the help I need. There's plenty of soot down here. With a little spell I can make soot sprites, and they do whatever I want."

Mabel moved over to watch the small fuzzy creatures pouring out of holes in the wall, each carrying one lump of coal. They took it to the furnace, tossed it in, and zipped back to get more.

Mabel scooted to the side, trying hard not to step on any. She noticed one struggling with its load. It collapsed and flattened out into a sooty smear, Mabel decided to help it out, so she picked up the surprisingly heavy coal lump. The soot sprite popped up again from the dust, but it didn't take back the coal.

"What should I do with this?" Mabel asked Kamajii. "Do I just leave it?"

"Finish what you start!" yelled the old man.

Mabel carried over the coal with difficulty and managed to toss it into the mouth of the furnace, which opened and closed in a regular cycle that reminded her of a tricky hole at a miniature golf course.

After she did this, many more soot sprites dumped their loads at her feet and pretended to be incapacitated too."

"Hey, you runts!" called Kamajii. "Wanna turn back into soot?"

The sprites continued to malinger to see what Mabel would do.

"And you, watch it!" said Kamajii. "You can't just take someone's job. If they don't work, the spell wears off!"

"Sorry," said Mabel.

"Got no work for you here! Look elsewhere!"

The soot sprites made high-pitched noises, clearly wanting Mabel to stay and work with them (or for them).

"You soot-balls got a problem?! Get to work!" Kamajii yelled.

Mabel was still crowded into a corner by the soot creatures when a tall red-haired teen entered, carrying a tray of food.

"Chow time!" the girl called. "Where's your bowl? I keep telling you to leave it out."

Kamajii said to his workers, "It's Wen with my food! Take a break!"

Wen suddenly noticed Mabel. "The intruder! You're in big trouble. They're having a fit about you upstairs."

Mabel looked desperately at Kamajii, who suddenly relented. "That's my granddaughter."

"Granddaughter?" asked Wen.

"Says she wants to work, but I've got all the help I need. Would you... take her to Stanbaba?"

"Not a chance! Why should I do extra work?"

"How about for this?" asked Kamajii, holding up a piece of food.

"A roasted bat! I love those," said Wen, taking it from him.

"If you want to work, you'll have to make a deal with Stanbaba," said Kamajii to Mabel. "Yeppers, might as well try your luck."

"Fine!" said Wen crossly. "You there, follow me!"

Mabel began to follow.

"Hurry up, but leave your socks and shoes. Stanbaba doesn't like dust tracked in."

Mabel took off her shoes and socks, and left them with the soot sprites.

"Did you even thank Kamajii? He stuck his neck out for you."

"Thanks a bunch!" Mabel called to Kamajii.

"Good luck!" said Kamajii.

* * *

"Stanbaba lives way up at the top, in the attic," said Wen. "We'll go up the elevator."

Wen pulled a lever and the elevator rose. There seemed to be many more floors to the building than it looked from the outside.

The elevator stopped at one floor and a huge creature that looked a little like a giant radish entered.

"This elevator is not in service, sir," said Wen, but the creature pushed in anyway.

Before they could start it again, a brown-bearded gnome came up. "Wen?"

"Yes, Jeff?" said Wen, as Mabel hid behind the radish man.

"What's that smell? It's human!"

"Is that so?" said Wen. "Maybe you just smell this."

She held up the roasted bat.

"Gimme!" said Jeff. "C'mon, I'll settle for a wing."

Wen said, as if to the radish customer, "If you want to go up, just pull down on the lever."

Mabel squeezed from behind the customer and pulled it. The elevator door closed, and they went up.

The radish man got out on the next floor, giving her a sly wink as he left.

* * *

Mabel got out of the elevator on the top floor and hurried to the door which looked like it lead to Stanbaba's room.

She was about to push open the door when the face on the knocker sneered at her, "Not going to knock?! What a puny little girl."

"Come closer," called a surly voice from deep in the room. "I said closer!"

Mabel was pulled forward by magic, and ended up standing in front of the desk of a very disagreeable looking old man. He had rings on his fingers and a red fez on his head.

"You're making a racket. Keep it down," said Stanbaba, looking nervously at the door behind him.

"Please let me work here!" said Mabel loudly.

"Stop babbling. This is no place for humans. It's a bathhouse, where hundreds of creatures can rest their weary bones."

"My parents and I just got lost," said Mabel.

Your parents had some nerve! Gobblin' up our guests' food like pigs! They got what they deserved. You'd make a lovely piglet, too."

"I'd love pigs, but right now I just want a job."

"Actually, I'm impressed you made it this far. Someone must've helped you. Just who was it? You can tell me."

"Please let me work here!"

"Not that again!"

"I want to work here!"

"Shut up! Why should I hire you? Anyone can see you're a lazy, spoiled brat! Forget it! I've got all the bums I need around here. I'd fire them all if I could. Or maybe you'd like the worst, nastiest job I've got?"

Mabel yelled, "Let me work here!"

There was a cry from behind Stanbaba and a large arm broke through the door.

"Now look what you've done. You woke up the Man-Baby. Now, now, baby Soos. Go back to sleep."

"I want to work here!" shouted Mabel again.

"Don't shout! I need to get him settled down. It's all right, baby."

"Please let me work!"

"Okay, just pipe down!"

A paper floated over to Mabel.

"There, sign away your name and I'll put you to work. But one peep out of you about anything, and I'll turn you into a piglet!"

"Um, I sign my name here?"

"That's right! Quit dilly-dallying and do it."

Mabel signed while Stanbaba muttered to himself. "Unbelievable! I'm such a softie, I give work to whoever asks."

The paper floated back to Stanbaba.

"Mabel, eh? That's a pretty name. It belongs to me now, except for one letter. Huh, 'M' is the Roman numeral for one thousand. Thousand. Shall we call you Thou for short? Nah, that sounds like fancy Old English for 'you.' We'll call you Sand. You got that? You're Sand."

She looked blank.

"Answer me, Sand!"

"Yes... sir."

Stanbaba pushed a button and Haku entered. "Did you call?"

"This kid is starting work as of now. Look after her."

"Yes, sir!" said Haku. "What is your name?" he asked Mabel.

Mabel realized Haku was pretending not to know her in front of Stanbaba. At least, she thought that was it. He seemed so cold now.

"I'm M... I mean, I'm Sand."

"Follow me, then, Sand."

* * *

On the elevator, she tried to get him to talk. "Haku..."

"No idle chatter!" said Haku coldly. "You will address me as Mr. Haku."

Sand was quiet, but full of worry. Was he not as nice as he had pretended to be? What had she gotten herself into?


End file.
